The Dilemma:

That smug show-off at the gym is definitely doing something when he laps you—you’re just not sure what it is.

People You Can Impress:

Everyone at the track!

The Quick Trick:

Check out the feet. The rules of racewalking are specific about what should be happening down there. No matter how fast you’re going, as long as at least one of your feet is always touching the ground, and as long as you’re not bending your knees, you’re racewalking.

The Explanation:

With roughly 400 years of history under their collective belt (or fanny pack, as the case may be), racewalking enthusiasts have had plenty of time to pin down exactly what their sport entails. The whole thing began when (apparently bored) English nobles started holding races between their footmen, wagering on whose servant was the fastest. By the 19th century, racewalking was the second-biggest betting sport in America behind horse racing, and in 1908 it became an Olympic event. These days, the true champions of the sport can walk a mile in less than six minutes.

Jogging, on the other hand, has a much shorter history. It began as a conditioning activity for retired runners and gained popularity in America with the 1967 publication of Jogging, cowritten by University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman and cardiologist Dr. Waldo Harris. Only then did average Americans begin regularly participating in “light running” as a way to stay in shape.

For more What’s the Difference?, be sure to click here.